Arrived in Helsinki yesterday on the ferry from Tallinn just in time for the last day of the Baltic Herring Festival. It was amazing with the boats in the harbor selling herrings, breads, sauces. We ventured into a food hall (a Finnish version of Queen Vic Market) and saw some reindeer kebabs and had to have one - the taste was fairly nondescript but filling. The market area is on the harbor and was full of loud and drunk Swedes waiting to catch ferries home after the European Soccer League game on Saturday night between Finland and Sweden. The heavens opened up in the harbor area and Maree and I took refuge in a bar (already drenched). Finland is much more expensive than Estonia - a beer for me cost $A7 and a gin and tonic for Maree was $A12. Went to a casual bar/restaurant for dinner last night and had reindeer hamburgers - the taste was overpowered by the Finnish cheese.
Today took a ferry to Suomenlinna sea fortress in the harbor, only 10 minutes by ferry. The fortress dates back to the 1700's and we took so many photos the camera battery went flat - the place was amazing. Today was a hot day for Helsinki - top temp was 9 degrees C; we had to keep well rugged up and the wind was bracing. After returning from the fortress we had a reindeer stock pot at the Sunday market at the harbor - very filling.
Tomorrow we are catching a bus to Porvoo, Finland's second oldest city.
Tonight we are planning to dine on a reindeer sirloin preceded by a couple of beers just around the corner from our hotel at a bar we discovered yesterday afternoon after we dried out from the rain. This bar is trendy (lucky they let me in !!), some beers are good and bar staff friendly, especially when I try my Finnish on them. Overall the Finnish beers are disappointing.
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